[Damagro]

What is Ultram? If non narcotic , is it one of the new super anti inflamatories? If the latter ,I'm surprised she has a functioning liver or kidneys after abusing it

[Boner1]

There is a new type of non-narcotic oral pain medication that can be prescribed to treat low back pain. Tramadol (Ultram) acts centrally (in the brain) to modulate the sensation of pain and has no anti-inflammatory effect. It is a stronger pain reliever than acetaminophen, but probably not as strong as the narcotic agents. Ultram is often a good option for treatment of low back pain because patients do not build up a tolerance with extended usage and there is a very low incidence of addiction.

This new medication is still quite expensive and is not covered by some health plans because of the expense. The regularly prescribed dose is one to two 50mg tablets every four to six hours, not to exceed eight pills a day. Exceeding the prescribed dose may lead to respiratory depression or seizures.

Ultram has several potential side effects and risks, such as:

Drug interactions. Care should be taken with antidepressant medications, as a combination of Ultram and antidepressant medications can lead to seizures. Ultram should also not be taken in conjunction with alcohol, tranquilizers, or narcotics because the effects are additive and it may impair mental and physical function.

Pregnancy risk. Ultram should not be taken by women who may be pregnant.

Tolerance. Ultram is not well tolerated by everyone, and some people report feeling "weird" or "unusual" while on the medication.